Mulberry Leaf Tea

So I’m having my very first cup of Mulberry Leaf Tea. It’s a bit of an Asian tradition but not easy to find. I didn't have to find it. It was a gift. It smells like a forest would. I’m living downtown, so I notice this right away. It has a very earthy taste.

Historically, mulberry was considered useful to the Chinese, the Celts and the Greeks. The berries from the bush are an excellent supplemental source of protein and can be used to make a syrup for treating stomach disorders. The tea leaves were found to have medicinal qualities.

Japanese scientists discovered that mulberry leaves could be used as a supplement in the treatment of diabetes. It’s also been scientifically proven to help prevent arteriosclerosis, stroke and heart disease.

Legend has it that Leizu, a Chinese empress, wife of the Yellow Emperor, first discovered silk in the mulberry trees on their property in the 28th century BC. She saw the silkworms eating the mulberry leaves and spinning cocoons. She asked her husband for a mulberry grove to cultivate so she could domesticate the worms. The Chinese credit her with inventing the silk loom.

Here in Korea, a traditionally popular treat (though disgusting to a lot of foreigners) is eating silkworm larvae. They’re cooked up on the street in stands, usually near schools, ‘cause the kids eat ‘em.

On Jeju Island, Korea, the silkworm larvae are dried, ground into powder and made into supplements in pill form.

You can learn a lot when you buy anything in Korea. They love to talk about where things come from and what they’re good for, which I love about this place. But to be honest, I picked it up, thinking about that song “here we go round the mulberry bush” from elementary school.